Driving With the Top Down
by adamosun
Summary: A series of one shots about the complicated lives of Tony Stark and Pepper Potts.
1. Chapter 1

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"_No_."

"Pepper, _come on_."

"Tony, I said no. And that's it."

Pepper held Tony's gaze for half a minute, her eyes taking on that professional and stern look that she wore incredibly well well under her bangs. Pepper Pots to the max. Tony finally sighed and looked at the enormous picture hanging on the wall in front of them.

"You don't think it looks nice?"

"My _guests_ won't think that it looks nice- it makes me look like I worship you or something."

"Everyone knows that already."

"Well, I told you you could put it in the garage-"

Tony threw his head back like a toddler. "I don't _want_ it in your garage. I want it in your living room so every body can see it."

"Why does everyone have to see it? Can't I see it by myself?" Pepper crossed her arms and studied it with distaste.

Tony stared at her with disbelieving eyes. "You don't even like it, do you?"

"Don't be ridiculous-"

"No, _I_ know what this is now. You're not _embarrassed_ by it, you're just trying to cover up the fact that you think it's ugly. Admit it!"

Pepper sighed. "You know what, it's a little on the homely side-"

"Homely? We're not talking about an ugly girl with a nice personality Pepper, we're talking about a painting!"

Pepper widened her eyes and gestured her arm at the painting, letting her hand slap against her hip. "Can you blame me? Look at it! It looks like somebody threw...buckets of red and gold paint on heads of human hair and shaped it into an Iron Man suit."

"Because that's what it is! I told you it's a portrait of me in my suit made of donated human hair!"

Pepper hissed between her teeth and threw an arm over her forehead. "I don't want to see that thing in my house. It creeps me out."

"It creeps you out? It's a picture of me, Pep!"

"I promise you, Tony, it would creep out any _normal_-"

"I'm not normal?"

"-human being on the planet. So take it down, _now_."

Tony pursed his lips and turned to the five foot by four foot painting hung on the wall of his girlfriend's living room. It had cost a fortune to hire someone to conduct this thing, and had taken one year. _One damn year_. He sighed and turned back to Pepper.

"Tell you what. I'll hang it in your office."

This earned him a series of slaps to the head, which he quickly turned into kisses.


	2. Chapter 2

**Please review! I apologize for not writing anything before my first chapter and my other fic, I was too busy. Anyway, hope you enjoy. **

He was going as fast as he could go.

_Get to the hospital, Tony. You need to get to the hospital!_

No way. He was seeing her first.

He didn't care about the aching in his ribs, or the searing pain in his left leg, or the way he had to pant for the right amount of oxygen, or the amount of damage on the streets far below him.

Before he went to the hospital, he needed something.

As he sharply rounded another skyscraper, slowing his speed to fifty mph, he saw it. Standing on the roof of Stark Tower, her hand positioned over her eyes so she could see against the sun, he saw her searching the skies for him.

As soon as he was finished with his schwarma, had taken care of business with Nick Fury, and said a painfully awkward goodbye to the Avengers, his cell phone had rung. It was Pepper telling him that she had taken an early flight to New York from D.C and was waiting for him. She told him that after what he'd been through he needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible, but that just wouldn't do.

He slowed again, so she would be able to spot him before he landed, but the look on her face once she did told him that if he wasn't on a stable surface in the next five seconds, he was dead.

He managed to make it in three.

As soon as he was on the marble ground, as soon as his helmet was off, she was in his arms. Her own arms, not quite long enough to encircle him entirely, held onto the suit of Iron Man with all her might. Tony did the same, trying ridiculously hard not to crush her body.

He leaned over and rested his cheek against her hair, breathing in the scent of mango and coconut. He missed that smell. He missed those freckles. Bangs. It was home for him. And for the first time in his life, he was desperate for home.

After minutes of silence, Pepper pulled away. Tears ran one by one down her cheeks until she was trying to hold on to the one inch of sanity she had left. She would not lose it in front of this man, the man that she was now sure she loved. He had just been through so much.

So she stood on her tip toes and whispered in his ear, "Tony," just for the sake of saying his name.

Tony pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "Just out of curiosity...have I ever mentioned how much I love you?"

Then he pulled her against his titanium chest and kissed her, swiping away her stunned expression. He didn't let her pull away until they were both gasping for air, and even then he wouldn't let her go.


	3. Chapter 3

**Whew! Got this one done. It was hard to write at first, but I really hope you like it. Lots of angst in this chapter, but I think that angsty Pepperony stories are the ones that best describe the side of them that we ****_don't_**** see in the movies. Please don't forget to review!**

"_Ms. Potts, Mr. Stark has arrived from his mission in Afghanistan. Shall I request that he meet you upstairs when he is available?_"

"No, Jarvis, thank you." Pepper said while studying her computer screen. "I have to talk to him first. No interruptions, please."

"_As you wish_."

Pepper stood from the couch and clicked towards the stairs to the workshop. As she neared the glass door, she cocked her head to the side. That was strange. No blaring music or insults towards Dummy that could be heard from a mile away.

She reached the door, entered the combination, and stepped inside. Tony was nowhere to be found.

"Tony?" She called, looking around the workshop, then towards the garage. Still no one. The entire floor was eerily quiet.

_Something must have happened_, Pepper thought with a burst of panic.

"Jarvis, where's Tony?"

"_He's here, Miss Potts. Sitting on the floor._"

"He's _what_?"

At Jarvis's lack of response, Pepper cautiously took a few steps further into the silent man cave: the place where Tony Stark spent an impressive amount of time. The silence became creepy, and she almost considered turning around and getting back to the hundreds of emails her inbox generously hosted.

But something told her she shouldn't.

So she smoothed her skirt, got down on her hands and knees, and began crawling across the floor in search of her boss.

"Tony? Hey, Mr. Stark?" She felt inclined to whisper.

She was beginning to feel ridiculous when she spotted a sweatpants-clad leg behind the S7, a car at the far end of the garage. She hopped to her feet and walked towards it.

"Tony...?"

Her boss came into full view when she crossed the garage and rounded the incredibly sleek machine, her eye brows raised in worry.

He was sitting, propped against one of the car's tires, his legs sprawled out lifelessly in front of him. She would have panicked, if not for the fast that he was squeezing his eyes shut as if in pain.

Emotional or physical, she didn't know.

She studied him worriedly for a few moments: his arc reactor glowing through a black ACDC t-shirt, his muscular legs covered in sweatpants, ghosts of purple circles under his eyes, his bare feet. When he didn't seem to register that fact that she was standing before him, she knelt down to his level and placed a petite hand on his knee.

Tony's dark eyes snapped open, his entire body jumping in shock. One hand flew to hers and slapped it away, the other hand braced itself on the floor.

Pepper withdrew immediately, holding her rejected hand against her chest. She studied her boss in utter surprise.

Tony's eyes were glistening with tears.

In all the years she worked for him, she'd never seen him cry. Not once. He was one of those people with whom crying did not mix, she's always been sure of that. Mr. Stark locked his emotions in a secret vault that absolutely no one could break into. It was one of his many talents.

Seeing him so vulnerable and sad...it did something to her heart.

"Tony," She whispered. "What's wrong...?"

He was staring at her, a mixture of anger and sadness brewing under his chocolate eyes. They were so dark and hollow; it almost frightened her.

"What are you doing here?" Was his response after several seconds.

Pepper didn't blink. "I work here."

"No, I mean...what are you doing _here_? What are you doing with your life?" He was staring at her so intensely that she found looking away was impossible. So she stared at him patiently, waiting for him to say what he needed to say.

"It was an entire village." He finally whispered.

Pepper's eyes softened, urging him to continue.

He swallowed, resting his head back against the car, and closed his eyes. Pepper looked down at his lap.

His hands were shaking.

"Jarvis, you know, he told me that my weapons had been spotted recently in this small town in Pakistan. In a large mountain range in Karakoram. So I flew out. I knew that there would be hostages, because there always is, but there wasn't. When I got there, I saw the men had tied these woman and children up and put them in the middle of a circle of explosives. Weapons from my company."

He shuddered, his eyes still closed. "I thought I could make it okay. But when I fired at one of the men, I didn't know he had the control button. I didn't know."

Pepper's eyes widened. "Did he...?"

Tony's lips trembled. "Yeah. He did."

Pepper reached out a slim hand and held Tony's shoulder. When he didn't pull away, she scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his torso. She rested her head on his shoulder, and then felt his goatee against her scalp.

"They're all dead because of me." Tony whispered into her hair.

"Stop," Pepper said. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah, it is. You can't pretend it's not." And then he started to shake against her and Pepper knew he was crying.

She wasn't sure what she should do. This side of him, the crying side, was completely new and a little frightening. So she held onto him as tight as she could, wishing his pain away.

He sobbed into her hair for what felt like an eternity. Gradually, he became quieter, until the tears finally ceased. He held onto her, though, his arms holding her against him tightly.

"I'm so proud of you." Pepper said quietly, once the garage was silent.

"Why?" He asked. His voice was raw.

"Because. You haven't drank anything. You've just dealt with the pain."

She hadn't intended it to be funny, but he let out a weak laugh. "I don't need that anymore."

"Wonder why?"

Tony pulled away and looked at her. "'Cause I have you."

"You've always had me."

"True. But...you've never had me. I haven't always been there for you, and I want to change that."

Pepper froze under his stare. She could see a mixture of emotions brewing behind his eyes, and within that moment realized that he was giving them to her. He _wanted_ to show her what he was feeling, he _wanted_ to let her in.

_He's changed so much_, was all she could think. He'd gone from a self-adoring playboy to...someone she could trust. Despite the horrible missions like these, the sleepless night of worry, the times when she wanted to murder Tony with a kitchen knife...

She wanted to be in a relationship with him.

While this epiphany was taking place in her brain, the two of them continued to stare at each other. When Pepper came to, she was closer to him than she remembered. Or was he closer to her? It didn't matter. She knew what she had to do next.

Slowly, Pepper tilted her face so that their mouths almost touched, but not quite. She looked at him through lidded eyes, noticing the way his breath hitched in surprise. Even slower, she closed the space between them delicately, so that she was kissing him.

His lips tasted of salt and sadness, but she didn't care. She needed him, just as he needed her.

Immediately he responded, taking her in his arms and pulling her closer until every inch of their bodies were touching. He let out a strangled and desperate moan, clutching her shirt and legs and hair until his hands seemed to be everywhere. Pepper let him, winding her hands through his hair and holding on tight. It felt wonderful to finally be able to touch him.

After a few minutes, Tony rested his head on her shoulder and cried again, holding her in his arms. His sorrow and tears seeped out of him heavily, until his eyes and body were so exhausted that he fell asleep against her.

Pepper parted her mouth in surprise. Carefully, she untangled herself from him, stood up, and walked towards the bed inside the workshop. She grabbed the neatly folded blanket on top and dragged it all the way over to where Tony Stark was passed out. Then, she laid down next to him, draping the blanket over them both. She smiled when Tony's arms unconsciously wound around hers, pulling her to his chest.

_This is home_, She thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Enjoy! This took a long time to write. I wrote it while watching Sherlock Holmes, so I apologize for any mistakes. I was way too distracted... And the Chinese restaurant "The Palace" that I'll mention in this chapter is an actual place I go to frequently in L.A- it's delicious. Okay, time to get serious... **

Tony Stark yanked open the door with much more force than he needed to, his hand still clutching Pepper Potts's arm. Pepper barely noticed that the bathroom she was being herded into was beautiful, made of elegant marble and crisp white hand towels, as Tony slammed the door shut and spun to face her.

Pepper smiled. "Tony, what-"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He snapped, his eyes black.

Pepper blanched, her smile fading as she registered his expression. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." His jawline was more pronounced-a sign that he was clenching his teeth. Hard.

Laughs and clinking glasses softly drifted through the door and into the large room. Pepper stepped forward, eliminating the unnecessary space between them, and looked at him with furrowed brows. "Have you been drinking?"

That was not first time she'd asked him that question since she'd started working under his company.

Tony's nostrils flared and he shook his head. "No, I haven't. I'm the one who should be asking _you_ that question. Right?"

Pepper stepped back, hurt. "You're being an ass."

She sidestepped him and reached for the door, but his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, spinning her around.

"Are you gonna go flirt with him again? Is he going to take you home with him?" Tony seethed.

Pepper opened her mouth to demand what the hell he meant, why he was so upset, when her thoughts brought her back to earlier that evening. It seemed so long ago, she hadn't even thought about it once. Now, it was all coming back.

She looked at him, suddenly speechless.

What had he seen?

Tony, in all his frustration, read her silence with an unsound mind. His thoughts, however jumbled and tinted with red, could only focus on one thing.

Where that fucker was, and how he was going to beat the shit out of him.

He pushed past his girlfriend and opened the door, taking off down the hallway towards the ball. Pepper watched him from within the bathroom, her mouth still open, before she took off after him.

She had to solve this, immediately.

**Four hours earlier**

"So...you won't be my date."

"No."

"Because...?"

"Tony-"

"Hey, I'm just trying to figure out my beautiful, talented, _incredibly_ sexy girlfriend's mind. Is that a crime?"

Pepper pursed her lips. "Flattery gets people no where."

Tony took her hand and pulled her down on his lap, so that they were both facing the impressive TV in his living room. "Flattery gets people everywhere. At least, for me."

He pressed his lips to her neck, encircling his arms around her waist. Pepper rested against him, settling on his legs. Tony nipped and nibbled her skin, smelling her hair and closing his eyes.

Pepper sighed. Why did he make productivity so incredibly hard? "We have to get ready. The ball's in two hours..."

"I don't wanna go unless we go together." He murmured into her skin.

"I'm not really sure when we should take this public."

"I am. Tonight."

"Don't you want to not worry about the press for a little while?"

Tony pulled away from her neck and put his lips to her cheek. "I don't care about the press. I just want the entire world to know that you're mine."

Pepper pretended not to swell with happiness at his comment and turned to face the television, instructing Jarvis to turn it on. She did not feel like having this conversation now, so she decided on a whim to shut him out and tune in to the news.

Tony watched her with a smile on his face before turning to _E! Hollywood News_.

"...and on a better note, the annual Fireman's Ball hosted by billionaire and beloved icon_ Tony Stark _is being held this evening. No one can confirm if he is actually attending, but judging by his surprise appearance last year, I'd say we should _all_ be expecting him tonight."

"I love how she says my name." Tony remarked happily. "It just rolls off her tongue. Come to think of it, my name rolls off a lot of women's tongues."

"_That's_ ridiculous."

"Am I detecting some jealousy?"

"Oh, please."

Tony smiled gleefully and held her tighter against him. "Oh my god, Pepper Potts is jealous."

Pepper struggled against his hold, biting back a laugh. "Tony, stop. I'm ticklish..."

"Oh, really?"

"Wait-AH!" She erupted into a fit of high pitched giggles as his hands slid over her pelvis. Trying desperately to wiggle out of his arms, she threw back her head and arched her back. Tony wasn't having it, pinning her against him and wiggling his fingers against her stomach.

"P-please! S-stop!" Tears brimmed under her blue eyes, accompanied by sounds of hysterical laughter.

Tony decided that he loved that sound.

Pepper finally managed to slip an arm out from under his hold and slap his hands away. When he loosened his grip in surprise, she took the advantage and sprang to her feet, until she was standing above him again. Her face was flushed and her hair was a wild mess.

"Okay, we _have _to get ready now. Come on, get up."

He sighed childishly when she reached out her hand, but he took it and allowed her to help him to his feet. When they were facing each other, she straightened his T-shirt out of habit.

He studied her, trying not to smile. "You know, I still think we should just...go together. Screw what the press will think, or Jarvis, or anybody. Just go with me."

Pepper looked at him sadly. "I promise that we'll take it public soon, Mr. Stark. You just...have to be patient with me."

"Yeah, patience isn't really my style."

"I think I know that better than anyone else, don't I?"

* * *

They arrived with Happy around nine o'clock, pulling into the carpeted circle of palm trees and expensive cars. The limo rolled in front of the grand stairway leading inside the large building; a swarm of flashing cameras and people crowded around the closed doors and tried to peer into the black windows.

"We'll see you at eleven, Happy." Pepper called to the front seat.

Happy nodded. "Sure thing, boss. Take out tonight?"

Tony clapped his hands excitedly and began to climb out of the car. "Ohmygod, yes. The Palace. Get the usual!" He slammed the door shut.

Pepper's door was opened by a large man who offered a hand to help her out. After thanking him, she went around the limo and began walking with Tony, trying her best to ignore the cameras as they made their way down the carpet. Tony stopped to talk with groups of people that recognized him, as did she. They did not walk together, because they were _not_ together; Pepper trailed behind Tony like she usually did at events like these.

Occasionally, though, Tony would slow down and his hand would casually rest against the small of her back. Very professional. He'd lean in and whisper something naughty, cheesy, or flattering, which would reward him a disapproving look. Then he'd add how beautiful she was tonight, and the look would soften.

This man was making it very hard for them to seem like they weren't in love with each other.

When they ascended the stairs, large glass doors were opened at the top and they were swept into the familiar crowded ballroom. Pepper spotted coworkers that she considered friends and subtly whispered in Tony's ear. "I'll see you soon."

He frowned. "I don't even get a dance?"

"Are you crazy? Did you see how much press we got after last-"

"Pepper. You can leave me for now, but I'm going to find you and we're going to dance."

Pepper sighed. "Okay, okay. Love you."

She slipped away from him and began to weave through the crowd.

Tony watched her leave, his eyes admiring her body. She looked so sexy and classy at the same time, dressed in a rose red dress that hugged her waist but elegantly flowed over her legs. The dress had think straps, forming a V above her chest, and her red hair was done up in a shining pony tail that swayed when she walked.

Her lips were pink and her eyes were dark, matched by even darker satin heels.

_I can't believe I got her_, Tony thought. _I can't believe she's mine and that I'm hers and that we love each other._

Then he was being lightly tapped on the shoulder by someone looking to chat. He turned around and smiled professionally, but his mind was on the dance that he'd be getting later.

* * *

Pepper laughed genuinely at something a coworker said, nodding her head in agreement. She was enjoying this night, the soft jazz playing from the on floor band and the come and go of people and conversations.

She still found herself frequently looking through the crowd for Tony, sometimes spotting him in the middle of a conversation with his father's friends, sometimes with past one night stands. The uncomfortable look on his face whenever he encountered them made her smile.

The night went on.

She was halfway in the middle of listening to the story of Damon Bradley's first meeting with Steve Jobs when someone tapped her shoulder.

She turned, ready to ask Tony if it was time for their dance, but when she saw the person's face she gasped in surprise.

The man she was facing wasn't Tony, it was her boyfriend from college.

"Adande?" She smiled, pleasantly surprised.

The man smiled back. "Hey, Virgin."

Virgin was a nickname he'd given her all those years ago, and it had stuck among their circle of friends.

Pepper studied him with her eyes narrowed humorously. He was tall, dark skinned, and still had those half lidded brown eyes with hints of green. His casual smile stretched over blazingly white teeth, and his sex appeal still radiated off him in overwhelming waves.

Pepper finally laughed after many seconds of silence and pulled him in for a friendly hug. "It's good to see you! Why may I ask are you here?"

Adande cleared his throat and shrugged. "Been working as a chef at Mellazos. They supplied most of the desserts tonight, so I guess you could say I was invited."

"Oh, yes. Mellazos. I heard that their desserts are great."

"Oh, really?" He raised his eyebrows. _Wow, those eyes_.

Pepper responded with an overly exaggerated nod. "I can't believe you're actually a chef. I remember hearing you talk about it all the time."

"It's something I've always wanted to do. It's like I could hear it calling me from behind that boring business desk, and I realized that I was just cut out for it, you know?"

"It's good to know what you're cut out for."

"How about you? Working as C.E.O of Stark Industries, huh."

"How'd you know?"

"I watch the news from time to time."

Pepper laughed. "Oh, but I thought you _hated_ the news."

"I do. I only watch it when you're on."

An uncomfortable silence was shared between both of them after that. Pepper took a drink out of her glass and pursed her lips.

"Well, I hope you enjoy the party, Adande. I have to go chat with other guests. Part of the routine-"

"Wait, Virginia. I really want to hear how you've been. Is there a separate room we could go to?"

_Separate room? _Is he crazy all of a sudden? Pepper looked around for Tony, hoping he would give her an out, but after seeing no sign of him she sighed quietly.

"Sure, we can talk. How about we sit down over there?" She pointed to two modern couches nestled in the far corner near the end of the bar.

Adande nodded and politely placed his hand on her back, guiding her across the dance floor to where the couches were. He plopped down on one, and she sat next to him. Not too close, but enough so that they could talk.

Enough so that absolutely _no_ suspicions would be raised by either the guests or Tony Stark.

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" Tony muttered under his breath as he slickly made his way through the crowd.

After _way_ too many people (women, business associates, women, former employees, hopeful future employees, women) approached him and looked to have a what-is-the-meaning-of-life-length conversation, he desperately needed a dance. Or alcohol. Both? Nah, Pepper would kill him if he were hammered at this party.

After a long minute he finally spotted her, standing with a drink in her hand. Her face was alight with laughter. He could not see the person who had induced this laughter; he/she was blocked by a woman in a sequined turquoise dress that hugged her rather large breasts. Tony paid no mind and stepped to the side.

_Jesus_. His mouth dropped open. The person Pepper was conversing with was an incredibly attractive, 6'5 black man with-oh, god-_enormous _shoes.

Where the hell had this guy come from? How many attractive guys did Pepper know? Why hadn't she _told _him that she knew a physically appealing black guy with a dick probably the size of the Empire State Building?

He continued to watch them, his eyes widening in fury when the man stepped closer to her as she started to move away. She looked at him in surprise as he said something low, hushed, and then she looked around uneasily. Tony slyly hid behind the man next to him so he couldn't be spotted, and when he turned back the man was leading Pepper across the dance floor.

_The fuck_?

Surely Pepper wasn't going to _dance_ with this douche bag?

He followed them, his suspicion growing when the man lead her to two couches, pretty removed from the rest of the party. No, he hadn't asked her to dance, but he wanted to talk to her. Pepper sat down politely, looking slightly uncomfortable.

The two of them began talking. Tony leaned against the far corner of the bar, only fifteen feet or so from where they were, and watched.

* * *

"It's good to see that you're so successful," Adande observed.

Pepper did not like the way he was looking at her. It wasn't creepy, or overly sexual, but it _was_ completely inappropriate. As much as she wished that he was being nice and nice alone, she knew that there was something going on here.

She answered all of his questions, but tried not to answer too deeply. She kept the conversation light and casual. Every once in a while she discreetly searched the crowd for Tony, but he was no where to be found.

_I'm going to have to excuse myself in a couple of moments_, she thought. _I'll say it was good to chat, but I really have to go. Say hi to your mom for me..._

"I guess we're both doing alright, aren't we?" Adande smiled.

Pepper smiled back. "I guess so. Well-"

Adande's face grew serious. He slid over the space that separated them until his thigh bumped hers. This caused her to stop her sentence in surprise.

"Um-"

"Virgin, are you in a relationship?"

Pepper smiled uncomfortably. "No. But I think I should-"

"Me neither."

She looked up, pressed her hand against his chest, and gently pushed him back. She could tell he had expected this, because he grabbed the hand resting on his chest and squeezed it.

Pepper opened her mouth in surprise.

"I have a confession to make, okay? I knew you were going to be at this party. That's the only reason I came." Adande blurted.

Pepper slid her hand out from under his. "Okay, listen, I'm so glad we saw each other tonight, but I lied earlier. I _do _have a boyfriend. And I love him. This, our relationship, was fun. However, it's part of the past, okay?"

Adande nodded, clearly embarrassed. "I just wanted to see if you were interested. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable..."

Pepper smiled. "It's fine. I really have to go-maybe we can catch up again...sometime."

"Sounds great."

With that, she stood from the couch and walked away as quickly as possible without tripping on her shoes.

_Wow, that was uncomfortable_.

* * *

He couldn't believe it.

He leaned against the bar, scrutinizing the two of them with narrowed eyes and a tight jaw. He did not notice that he was clutching the countertop until one of his fingers screamed in protest.

It took a considerable amount of self control not to sprint over there, grab the guy by his collar, and knock his teeth out. Pepper would have been impressed at his tolerance, if not for the circumstances.

His breathing increased when the jackass leaned in close, saying something to _his_ goddamned girlfriend. He did not see Pepper's face, but it didn't matter, because she didn't move. She _let_ him put his hands on her.

The only reason Tony was not interfering was because this was a party. Hosted by, in many ways, himself. If he made a scene, it would present Stark Industries with a nice chunk of bad press, and raise suspicion that he was fighting with another man over Pepper-which would ultimately lead to rumors about him and his C.E.O, which would ultimately lead to Pepper being furious with him.

There was another reason, as well. Tony wanted to wait and see what Pepper would do. He wanted to see her turn this man away.

After a few agonizing seconds, Pepper put a hand on the man's chest and only slightly pushed him away. He kept his distance, but grabbed the hand on his chest and held it.

_Rumors be damned_. Tony sprung from his barstool and started to stride towards them, but stopped. Pepper was getting up and walking away. The man had his head in his hands.

Tony was about to sprint after her when he felt someone pat his arm. He sharply turned, not wanting to be touched in any way, and saw one of his father's old friends, a respected man of the military-Carlos Whogivesashit. Carlos did not notice the volatile expression on Tony's face, instead smiling and shaking his hand firmly, eager to catch up on how Stark Enterprises was doing.

_God damnit_, Tony screamed in his head. He would have to consult his girlfriend later.

And when he did, she better have an answer for every single fucking thing he saw.

* * *

Pepper had given up searching for Tony after five minutes. She had looked everywhere: bathroom, outside, the roof where they had almost shared a kiss what seemed like a lifetime ago. She did _not _check in the area where she and Adande had talked, for fear that he may be there still.

Instead of paying attention to the growing worry about her missing boyfriend, she simply found herself conversing with more groups of people, enjoying another glass of champagne.

Half an hour went by before she saw him.

He was walking towards her, slipping around other guests, his face clouded with anger. Pepper smiled at him, thinking it was mock fury for not dancing with him yet that evening.

She went along with it when he grabbed her arm and led her across the marble floor, towards the hallway that led to the bathrooms. Her protests and frantic glances around were ignored. He picked up his pace when they reached the hallway, leading her around a corner and into the men's bathroom. He pushed her inside and slammed the door shut behind them.

* * *

Christine Everhart was just stepping out of the ladies' room when she was almost run over by a man charging into the mens' room, a woman in tow, shutting the door.

"Hey-" She called after them, but her voice dropped.

It took her a second to figure out that the man was _Tony Stark_ and the woman was _Pepper Potts_.

_Ohmygod_, she thought, openly baffled. _What the masses wouldn't do to see this._

Once she recovered, she looked around quickly; when she was sure that she was alone, she fumbled around in her purse and pulled out a small Nikon, hurrying to a station suitable enough to take a quality picture.

A few minutes of patient waiting passed before the door burst open.

_Click click click_.

Tony exploded out, sprinting down the hallway and around the corner; Christine almost dropped her camera in surprise. She looked back and saw Pepper standing in the doorway, clearly in some state of shock, before running after him.

Ms. Everhart of Vanity Fair was unnoticed by both of them.

* * *

Adande Ross sat at the bar, patiently waiting for a drink. His shoulders were slumped, his elbows rested on the counter top. He looked like a man who had just went through something big and lost something in the process.

In a way, he had.

The bartender leaned over and placed the scotch in front of him. He smirked and wiped his hands on a towel flung over his shoulder. "This one's on me, bud. You look like you had a bad night."

Adande grabbed the glass and brought it to his lips. "Th-"

The air left his lungs as something incredibly solid connected with his face and sent him falling towards the ground.

The glass in his hands slipped out of his fingers, hitting the floor and shattering into a million pieces.

* * *

Tony grunted when his fist collided with the man's face, sending him off the stool and onto the ground. He felt something crack under his knuckles.

He could only hope that it was the man's jaw.

He glared at the figure slumped on the ground in front of him, eager for him to get up and fight. He was becoming impatient when the man slowly brought himself to his feet, showing his full height. And muscular body. He faced the other way, but Tony could see him rubbing his jaw.

Finally, he turned around.

He did not look pleased.

Tony regarded him arrogantly, paying little attention to their height difference. "Hello. Pleased to meet you. I'm Tony St-"

A fist quickly connected with his jaw, and then his stomach. Tony had no choice but to bend over and try to breathe correctly.

"-_Stark_." He gasped, clutching his stomach. "Oh, wow, you're good."

He straightened up and began to walk forward, ready to murder this guy. He was about to throw another punch when-

"Tony!" Came a shrill voice from behind them. He turned around and saw Pepper, standing in front of a crowd of onlookers. She looked frightened, pissed, and shocked.

He turned back to the man, who was looking at him in surprise. "_You're_ the boyfriend. Tony Stark."

Tony clenched his teeth. "Yeah. I am."

Pepper hurried over to the two men. She approached them, slipping her hand in between them and pushing Tony away.

"_Stop it_, Tony. Now. This is ridiculous. Adande, I'm so sorry."

"Don't tell me it's fucking ridiculous. I want to know who this guy is."

Pepper hissed in his ear, "He's my boyfriend from college. His name's Adande Ross. He came to this party to catch up with me. When he wanted to see if we could go out sometime, I told him I had a boyfriend. He said okay. That's all that happened. Now if you don't follow me outside I am going to murder you."

She was dead serious. Tony did not even think about fighting her. He turned to Adande and studied him. "I don't like you."

Then he followed Pepper through the small crowd and through the rest of the party.

* * *

When they reached outside, they did not exchange a single word. Pepper was grateful, because for the sake of her sanity, she needed the quiet. She ignored the man behind her and walked to the first stair, sitting down. She put her head in her hands and exhaled slowly.

Humiliation. Anger. Hurt. What the hell had possessed Tony to act like that? Why did he make her life so hard? There would be so many stories on this, so many rumors.

She squeezed her eyes shut, but that didn't stop a tear from escaping.

"Pepper," She heard. She ignored him, crying softly.

"Pepper, I'm sorry."

"Fantastic. That fixes everything, Tony."

"Does it fix you? 'Cause that's all I'm worried about."

Pepper lifted her head and shook it violently. "No, it doesn't. Why on earth would you _do_ something like that in front of every one? Do you ever think before you do something? Because I'm beginning to think that you're insane!"

"What did you want me to do? This guy had his hands all over you-"

"Oh my god-"

"And I thought you, you know, had known him for a long time or maybe wanted to do something with him or maybe-"

Pepper stared at him. "You thought I was going to cheat on you."

Tony pursed his lips.

Pepper, despite herself, smiled sadly. "Tony, now that your mind is a little bit more rational, let me ask you something. Do you honestly think that I would ever, under any circumstances, cheat on you? Please think about it for a second."

Tony didn't need a second. "No. I know you wouldn't."

"Great. I'm glad you realize that. Now call Happy and ask him to meet us here. Now."

"You don't want to talk about this more? I think that it would be healthy to vent out your feelings-"

"No! No, Tony, I don't. I need to eat before I do anything."

Tony smiled tentatively. "Alright then."

When Happy pulled into the curb and opened the doors, both of them slipped inside silently. Happy, sensing the mood, swiftly handed them bags of Chinese from the front seat. He turned without another word and drove off into the night.

Pepper focused on her food for most of the drive, staying quiet. Tony was careful not to say anything, for fear she might lose it. Things started to turn up, however, when she offered him some of her chicken.

When she was done eating, she put the empty containers back into the bag and turned to face the window.

"Thank you," She said quietly after a few minutes.

Tony looked at her. "For what?"

She turned towards him and gave him a half smile. "For being a good boyfriend."

Tony did not hesitate to reach over and grab her, pulling her across the seat and into his arms.

"You know, if it's any consolation, I think my face is broken."


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter is more of a filler than anything else, really. I'm working on the next chapter (it's taking a little while) and another story which isn't up yet (very interesting and different from anything on here, I think). I enjoyed writing this chapter all the same. Just a warning: Tony will be trying ****_very_**** hard to seduce Pepper in 3...2...1...go.**

Pepper sat on the couch in the living room. A laptop was situated on both her legs, her back was hunched over the screen, and as she typed away an email that should have been sent hours ago, she glanced up and read the time.

_12:54 A.M._

She groaned and closed her eyes. These meetings. These _meetings_. They completely and utterly controlled her life, or at least an undesirable portion. They had been for the past eleven years. Eleven years of utter exhaustion.

She wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

Although, when was the last time she had a break? A vacation? No, don't think about vacations...or sleep...

"Hey."

She jumped at the throaty voice behind her and swiveled her head around. Tony was leaning against the wall next to the set of stairs that led to the workshop, his arms crossed. Pepper could inference that he had been studying her for some time.

"Hi. What are you doing up?"

Tony stepped away from the wall and began walking towards her. "I should be asking you that question."

Pepper laughed weakly and turned back to the glowing screen. Her eyeballs burned.

She was completely oblivious to the hungry look in Tony's eyes.

She was, however, vaguely aware of the footsteps that slowly, ever so slowly, approached her. She was also vaguely aware of the arms that wound around her shoulders. She thought nothing of it, assuming that this was going to be a sweet 'goodnight.'

A pair of lips brushed her ear. "You know what I think?" they whispered.

Her fingers pounded the keyboard studiously. "Hmm?"

"I think that we should go to my room and have some...us time."

Tony's wet tongue suddenly licked a very sensitive spot on her neck, his arms encircling her tightly until she was pressed against his upper half. Pepper jumped, surprised.

He used his teeth to lightly nibble her skin, making humming noises against her throat. She closed her eyes almost involuntarily and arched her neck so that he could have better access. She loved it when he did this...

_NO! Get back to work!_

She pulled away sharply and sprung from the couch, taking her laptop along. Tony straightened and watched her with a small smirk.

Pepper cleared her throat and began walking towards the kitchen. "I need to work."

"Yes, you do. On me."

"Haha," She remarked dryly. "You're hilarious." She seated herself at the modern and sleek glass island in the middle of his kitchen, placing her laptop on the countertop and resuming her working position.

"Goodnight, Tony." She called.

She heard his footsteps approach her yet again, but this time he pulled up a chair and sat facing her.

"Pepper. You're tired, you're stressed, just let me take care of you tonight."

She looked at him annoyingly. "Yes, I'm tired and I'm stressed. That means I don't want to have sex with you right now-"

"I'll do all the work, I promise!"

Pepper covered her face with her hands and laughed embarrassingly. "Oh my God."

Tony raised his eyebrow. "Is that a yes?"

"It's a 'Tony-you're-crazy-and-you're-not-getting-laid-tonight.'"

Tony glowered. "I'm not above grabbing you and hoisting you over my shoulder, Ms. Potts."

Pepper laughed, deciding to ignore the way he was looking at her. "I'm sure you aren't, Mr. Stark, but I really do have a lot of work to do."

She leaned over to peck his cheek sweetly, but as her lips approached close proximity, Tony leaned forwards eagerly and captured them with his own. Pepper made a surprised noise at the back of her throat as his hands traveled up her waist and the side of her breasts, cupping her face and pulling her closer to him.

Their tongues danced for several minutes. Tony lifted himself up off his chair and leaned over her, never breaking contact. Pepper bit back a moan at his possessive move. She wanted more-

_STOP! He's trying to seduce you, Pepper. Don't fall for it, don't fall for it!_

Pepper pulled away, yanking her lips off of his. Tony made a sound of protest, but pulled back all the same. Ms. Potts tried to catch her breath, as did he. He was still draped over her, resting his forehead against hers.

"I...need...to work," Pepper said breathlessly.

Tony opened his eyes slowly at her comment, opening his mouth and trailing his tongue over his lips as he looked at her. His chest was heaving.

Pepper shook her head at him. "Tony..."

Oh, no. No. No. No. Not the eyes. Those dark chocolate pools of sexy gazed at her, something behind them becoming almost...predatory.

"Pepper, I need you. Like, right now." He finally said.

Pepper shook her head hastily, as if maybe _that_ would clear her now sexually oriented thoughts. "I have an early meeting tomorrow and I have lots of work to do. I'm sorry."

"Mmmm, see, that's not gonna fly with me."

Pepper looked at him, suddenly seeing a clear, out of the blue resolve in his eyes. Her own eyes widened and she put up a hand in warning. "_Tony Stark_-"

Tony pounced viciously, bending over and wrapping his arms around her thighs. He hoisted her out of the chair and over his shoulder, as mentioned earlier, and began walking towards the hall that led to his bedroom.

"Tony! Put me down! _Tony_!" Pepper shrieked, trying desperately to scramble off his shoulder and not laugh while doing it. She couldn't encourage him.

"Yeah, um, no way. This is too much fun." Tony said below her. "And by the way, I _will _be doing all the work tonight."

"Oh really?" Pepper challenged, still squirming. "I thought I was going to be working on _you_."

"God, yes," Tony growled, finally reaching his door and banging it open. He entered the darkness, lit only by the lights of Malibu far off in the windows, and slammed it shut behind them.

Pepper's work was completely forgotten.


	6. Chapter 6

**Before you read, just wanted you all to know that my new story is up! Check it out after you've read this update. I should give you a warning, though: it's really different and might be hard to get used to. Very, very AU. Even if you're not a fan of AU (which I'm normally not) give it a try, fool. Why did I add fool? I don't know. Anyways this chapter is angsty, because I know everyone loves that. Like my fanfic friend kkann (author of the amazing story Strawberries & Shawarma) says, "I love angst, and there is no angst like Pepperony angst." No truer words have been written. Please enjoy this guys, I beg of you. Your inner enjoyment is way more important to me than reviews. But don't use that as an excuse to not write one...or I'll kill you. **

"_California, knows how to party...Ca-li-forn-ia, knows to how to party...in the citayyyy of L.A. In the citayyyy of good ol'Watts. In the citayyy, city of Compton...we keep it rockin', we keep it rockin'_...Jarvis, sing it with me, baby."

"I'd rather not, sir. _Tupac Shakur_ is not in my range."

Tony Stark chuckled. He ignored the dripping disdain coming from the AI and continued to hum the tune of the song blaring within the workshop under his breath, turning his head and ducking around the plans projected on his table. Next to him was a stack of paper, scribbled on them his notes. After deciding to switch a couple things, experiment with probable solutions to the build up in the capacitor's electric field, he turned to the stack quickly and grabbed a blank piece; he needed to get something down before it was lost forever in the vast expanses of his brain.

It happened fast. He held the paper steadily as his pencil stabbed at it furiously, and soon the tip slid across his finger sharply and sliced the surface of his skin.

"_Holy fu_-" Tony shoved himself away from the projection table, nearly tripping over a box of tools on the floor as he staggered backwards. His right hand clutched his left middle finger in an attempt to subside the sudden stinging pain.

"_Sir, your vital signs have sped tremendously within the last ten seconds. Is there something wrong_?" The voice of his AI asked the question with a hint of concern.

"I don't know, I think I got a paper cut. Fuck!" Tony said between his teeth. He hopped up and down like a four year old, his face screwed up in pain.

"_A...paper cut, sir_?" Jarvis asked doubtfully.

"Yeah," Tony groaned.

"_I'm not sure I understand._"

"I don't like paper cuts. I hated them when I was a kid and I still do. Now can you _please_ tell me where my lovely assistant girlfriend is so she can make it better?"

"_Ms. Potts is in guest room eight. May I suggest a simple bandaid-_"

"Don't know how to work those." Tony was already out the glass door and hurrying up the stairs, striding across the foyer and towards the hallway that led to the guest rooms. He knew Pepper had one that she used to stay in when she finished her work too late, equipped with spare clothes and emergency toiletries that he'd rummaged through once because he was curious. She never found out.

He reached the closed door and knocked rapidly. "Pep, we have an emergency. I might die if you don't help me soon."

No response.

Tony pouted and pressed his ear against the door, straining to hear any sound. There was none, so he stepped back and contemplated whether or not to grab the handle and open the door.

Why was Pepper in this room in the first place? She slept with him in their bedroom, had a section of the closet all to herself, took showers with him in the mornings. Why she felt the need to be in here, he had no clue.

He felt a prickle of concern in the back of his neck.

"Pepper. I'm coming in, okay?"

He grasped the doorknob and opened the door, in a somewhat panicky fashion, and found himself staring at a large, empty room. He scooted inside curiously and checked the closet and bathroom, all the while cradling his finger. There was still no sign of her.

Tony was about to demand that Jarvis tell him where the hell his girlfriend was when he looked across the complex and saw the glass doors leading onto the balcony were slightly open. A light breeze was flowing inside the room, tinted late afternoon sun pouring through the glass.

He walked himself around the bed, past the small living area and kitchen, and approached the doors. His eyes scanned the balcony from where he stood.

There she was, leaning against the railing and looking out over the Pacific ocean, fiddling with a leaf from a low hanging palm tree. Her hair was sprayed across her shoulders, ruffled from the hot breeze, and she looked...relaxed.

But upon further inspection, Tony frowned. Her shoulders were uncharacteristically hunched, and she seemed to be trembling.

"_Pepper_." He called from where he stood, sliding the doors further open.

He did not see a response from her body, and she did not turn to face him. She simply responded, "What is it, Tony?"

Her voice was fragile and milky. As if she'd been crying.

Tony didn't hesitate to step out of the guest room and walk across the sleek tiled floor to where she stood, stopping just inches from her body. He looked at the side of her face, covered by her swaying hair and from the fact that she had turned slightly. When she stayed where she was, his eyes travelled to her arms, resting on the railing in front of them. He cocked his head when he found something...odd.

"Hey, where did you get that bruise on you wrist? It's huge-"

Pepper turned her head finally, almost in response to his question.

What he saw stopped him cold.

Her left eye was nearly swollen shut, encircled by an enormous black and purple bruise. Both her cheekbones were a yellowish green, tainted with cuts and various contusions. Her pursed lips were inflated and a pink welt distended from her forehead.

As he took in her appearance, absolute shock imminent on his face, Pepper's blue eyes were studying him with something close to sympathy. Because she knew what was about to happen and there was no way she could prevent it.

She could see Tony's shock slowly ebbing away, his widened eyes lowering, his agape mouth closing shut. Piece by piece, bit by pit, thoughts were forming inside his head.

Suddenly, his jaw grew incredibly pronounced, his nostrils flared, and his eyes held something akin to absolute fury.

"Who did this." He spoke the words quietly. It was almost frightening.

Pepper lowered her eyes. "I don't know."

"Pepper." He ground out between his teeth. "_Who_."

"Tony, I promise- I don't know."

"Really? Look me in the eyes and say that. Look at me."

She did.

Tony inhaled sharply and turned away from her, his eyes closed. He turned in small circles, his hands covering his face, as if he wasn't sure what to do with himself. Pepper could only watch, one hand over her mouth.

"I need you to be honest with me." Tony said, stopping in the midst of a turn. He swiveled to confront her and grabbed the tops of her arms until their faces were close to each other. He looked at her- dark, desperate eyes starting to well with tears. She could only imagine what she looked like to him.

"Where did this happen?" He asked. "Please, tell me where."

"Tony-"

"Pepper, _tell me_."

She sighed shakily. "I...was walking in downtown LA because of the notary canceling, remember?"

"Yes."

"On my way back to Happy I stopped at a new Italian place-"

"Name."

"Um..." Pepper squeezed her eyes shut, ignoring the pain, trying to remember. She opened them again when the name entered her memory. "_Lui Lui's_. After I was done, I left the restaurant and started walking back. The streets were so dark and I was alone and scared. So I took a shortcut through a small parking lot. Deserted, only one streetlight..."

Her face twisted at the memory. She bowed her head to keep Tony from seeing the newly formed tears.

Tony closed his eyes and tried to exhale, his hands squeezing her arms tightly. "Keep going, baby. What happened next?"

Pepper cleared her throat. "Two men, one was wearing a red hoodie and the other was wearing black. They cornered me. Did...this, and took my purse, my earrings, and my bracelet."

"Did they do anything else to you?" Tony asked. It took him many, many seconds to get the words out.

Pepper knitted her eyebrows and stared at him in puzzlement, but the meaning of what he was asking came to her shortly afterwards. She widened her eyes. "No! No, nothing like that at all." She decided that the things they _said_ were not important in this case. She didn't need to make things more worse than they already were.

Tony nodded, relief flooding his eyes. Pepper was relieved as well, and made a move to comfort him. She was fine now.

But abruptly he shoved away from her, turning his back and striding towards the door that led back inside.

Pepper blanched. "Tony? Where are you going?"

"Out." Tony didn't pause, approaching the doors and slipping from view.

Pepper stared after him in horror, fully aware of what "out" meant. "Out" was the reason she was reluctant to tell him anything in the first place. "Out" was why she was more scared for him than she was for herself.

"Wait!" She shouted. She had to stop this. She had to...

But she was so, so tired. She helplessly slid down to the floor of the balcony, grateful for the cold and stable surface. It was almost dark out, the sun slipping behind the ocean and casting an orange glow on the mansion. She felt completely alone and isolated; the only sounds were her rapid breaths and the wind rustling the palm trees.

She was looking at the canvas above her, just coming alive with specks of stars, when she saw him. Like a burst of light streaking across the sky, she watched Iron Man rise from the mansion and jet towards the direction of the city. She watched him soar until he disappeared from view.

When he was gone, she felt tears fall down her cheeks.

She knew he would feel horrible afterwards, even if he did not do something incredibly drastic. His actions were being guided by rage right now, not by his usual cunning. She could not let him do this, she had to stop him.

Pepper slowly rose to her feet and began limping for the glass doors.

* * *

_Where are you, you sons of bitches._

Tony finally slowed his speed down and inconspicuously lowered himself near the city's rooftops, until he finally found a suitable one to land on. Once he was on the ground, he turned his body and looked at the streets below.

"Jarvis, we near the restaurant?" He snarled.

"_You are approximately thirty meters from your destination._"

"Scan area. I need to find a parking lot."

"_There are numerous parking lots and garages in the area, but the closest one is ninety meters due east. If you choose to fly there I would suggest you keep a low profile._"

Tony was already in the air, following the AI's instructions for once in his life. He kept close to the buildings, arriving at a parking lot soon enough, and it was exactly as Pepper depicted. Stranded, lit only by one dim streetlight.

From his bird's eye view, he could see there was no one there.

He landed on the ground with a clank, scanning the deserted lot with glazed eyes.

No one.

"Fuck," he whispered. He slowly sank down onto his knees, a task made difficult in the suit, and looked distantly at the ground. He sat there, defeated, eyes widening at the realization that he was about to cry.

He never cried. He didn't _like_ crying.

He honestly wasn't sure how he kept it together when he saw Pepper's face the first time. It was so battered and bruised it almost didn't look like her own. And the way she _looked_ at him. Like she was sorry for making _him_ feel this way, sorry for the pain it was causing _him_. It made him sick to his stomach.

The rage, the rage was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. It came with a surge of protectiveness; he felt it almost instinctively. Someone he loved was hurt, someone the meant the world to him. The thought of losing that someone shook him to the core and he refused to think any further about it.

So instead he came here looking for blood. After realizing that he wasn't going to get it, he wasn't sure what to do with himself.

He supposed it was a stupid idea to have come out here, and he supposed it was a good thing those assholes were nowhere to be found. He would have hurt them significantly, severely, and with pleasure.

Pepper deserved so much more. He was a bastard.

The tears flowed freely now. His faceplate lifted and he took off both his metal hands, setting them on the pavement.

_I should go back. I should make sure she's okay_. _This was a mistake. _

"Tony!" A voice shouted desperately.

He turned his head in surprise, recognizing whose it was.

Pepper was standing in front of one of his cars, parked a few feet away, her chest heaving.

"Pep?" Tony called hoarsely, lurching to his feet. He ignored his gloves and walked towards her as fast as his suit would allow.

She began to limp towards him, a sight that twisted his heart. He reached her quickly, grabbing her and pulling her close to him.

"You alright?" He murmured, pressing his lips to her hair.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Are you?"

Tony pulled away and looked at her sharply. "Don't ask that. Don't you dare ask that."

Before she could widen her eyes at the tears sliding down his cheeks, he leaned down and captured her lips with his own. He was incredibly gentle, aware of her injuries, but there was still a passion behind it. It was always there, Pepper realized, whenever he kissed her. Even when it was just a peck goodbye, or a greeting in the morning. He loved her so.

She was immensely relieved that he hadn't found them, and a small part of her knew he was, too. Despite that fact that they were atrocious people, Tony did not want that guilt on his hands. She was just glad to hold him, thankful that both of them were alright.

They stayed that way in the parking lot for a while, the two of them, wrapped in each other's protection and love. After a few minutes Tony pulled away and looked at her in shock.

"Pepper! We need to get your face taken care of."

Pepper couldn't resist smiling at him. "That would be nice, Mr. Stark. You can patch _me_ up for a change."

Tony smiled back hesitantly, but worry was still clear in his eyes. "Sounds like a date, Ms. Potts."

He took her hand and they walked to where she had parked the S7. They both climbed in, Tony somewhat awkwardly because of his hugeness, and Pepper drove them out of the parking lot and onto the streets of the city. The car ride to the mansion was quiet, but they intertwined their hands tightly and that was all they needed.


End file.
